Adjustable cam operated clutch



June 9, 1953 H. J. DuNKELow ADJUSTABLE CAM OPERATED CLUTCH Filed Feb. 15, 1949 June 9, 1953 J. DUNKELOW 2,641,345

ADJUSTABLE CAM OPERATED CLUTCH Filed Feb. 15, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l lW 5.5.52 .if

June 9, 1953 H. J. DuNKELow ADJUSTABLE CAM OPERATED CLUTCH 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 Filed Feb. l5, 1949 ,MNI m Nv C Q mm Q Q N Qn bw Patented June 9, 1953 ADJUSTABLE CAM OPERATED CLUTCH Henry J. Dunkelow, Racine, Wis., assignor to Twin Disc Clutch Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application February 15, 1949, Serial No. 76,523

My invention relates to clutches and more particularly to a device of this type which is mechanically or positively actuated into driving position, as contrasted with clutches of the spring loaded type.

' One object of the invention is to devise a clutch of the plate type having operating mechanism for mechanically engaging the same which tends to release under the impulse of centrifugal force so that the clutch runs free in the disengaged position.

A further object is the provision of an operating mechanism having levers which are characterized by a floating or wandering action, as compared with the usual fixed pivot construction, thus enabling the levers to position themselves for the easiest operation possible.

A further object is to provide a clutch of the type indicated which is characterized by compactness, a high degree of eiciency, a capacity for being embodied in various specnic adaptations to meet different operating conditions, and which is susceptible of rapid production due to the fact that numerous parts are either simple stampings or capable of automatic manufacture.

Additional objects are the securement in a compact clutch structure of an adequate mechanical advantage in the operating mechanism for insuring the application of the required clamping pressure, ease of adjustment as the plates wear, a positive locking of the clutch plates in the driving position, and a positive release of the clutch levers during disengagement.

A further object is to devise a novel means for maintaining the adjusting ring in adjusted position, the means having general application to the securement of any ring, collar, nut or similar element to a part encircled by such an element.

This application is a continuation-impart of my copending application for Clutch, Ser. 625,760, filed October 31, 1945, now abandoned.

These and further objects of the invention will beset forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and the novel means by which said objects are effectuated will be definitely pointed out in the claims.

Iny the drawings:

' Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of one form of the clutch in engaged position as taken along the line I-I in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is an end View of the clutch looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional elevation similar to Fig. 1 showing the clutch disengaged.

9 Claims. (Cl. 192-69) Fig. 4 is a View of the upper portion of the adjusting ring showing the means for locking the same in adjusted position.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation showing anotherv modification of the clutch which incorporates a different arrangement for maintaining the adjustment of the adjusting ring.

Fig. 6 is an end View of the clutch shown in Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrow 6.

Figs. 7 and 8 are top and end views of the adjusting ring shown in the Fig. 5 clutch.

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation showing a medincation of the Fig. 5 clutch in whicha belt sheave serves as the driving member of the clutch.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, the numeral I designates a hub which is keyed to a shaft I I and which, in the presen-t instance, will be regarded as the driven member of the clutch although the construction is not limited in that respect since the hub I0 may be utilized as the driving member without interfering with the eincient and positive operation of the clutch. The periphery of the hub is provided with a plurality of keyways I2 that are preferably circumferentially equispaced and also at the left end, as viewed in Fig. 1, with an annular channel I3 in which is seated a split ring I4 that constitutes an abutment for a clamping plate I5. The plate I5 is providedwith teeth I6 that nt into the keyways I 2 so that the plate rotates with the hub I0 but may .shift endwise thereof.

The plate I5 frictionally engages with one side of a driving plate Il that is bolted or otherwise secured to a driving member (not shown), the mode of attachment preferably permitting a slight axial movement of the plate Il when the latter is-disengaged so that it will run free of the clamping plate I 5. .The driving plate Il is shown as being molded from a friction material, but may be arranged as a metallic plate having friction facings on its opposite sides. The opposite surface of the plate il is engaged by a second clamping plate I3 that is formed like the plate I5 and has the same operative relation to the hub I0.

The particularly novel feature of the clutch resides in the operating mechanism which comprises a plurality of clutch levers I9, each ofv 23 and, Whenin the engaged position shown in 3 i Fis. 1, rests on the floor of the associated keyway sired fu1eruming relation with the ends 25 of the i2. EaCh leVer has a free, Sliding t in its keyclutch levers. The adjusted position of the ring way and its thickness is such that, except for 26 may be locked by any of the expedients comthe hook 20 and the oiset 2|, each lever is genmonly employed in clutches for this purpose. erally housed in one of the keyways. 5 Because the clutch levers i9 can move freely in In the position shown in Fig. 1, the bights 24 the keyways l2, they readily accommodate themof the hooks 20 bear against the clamping plate selves to the several positions required under the I8 WhileigtherendsrZffofethe hoolssfiloaan@againste` differentfioperating conditionwthus'avoiding any the adjaoentifaceof aniadjustingrringllthatris undue strain ontthe partseofrithe Lclutch. The threaded on the hub H3. The ring 26 may in- 10 clutch construction is very compact and the lever clude an annular ange 27 that partially overs arm relation between the bight 24 and the ends hangs the hooks 20. Endwiseimovementsoi the ofY each lever provides a high mechanical advanlevers I9 are therefore limited"bytheA clamping' tageinoperatingth-e clutch. The inclined porplate i8 and the adjustingwringdebutawithinn tion-,33y oneach clutchfzlever insures a quick movethese limits, the levers are capableptmovng Witneqfr ement: inwardly oft-the clutch during the engaging a free rocking action relative to 'the ring 25 and i action andenablesthe lever to be correspondingly the plate i8 since they are notrrestrained by, any4 shortenedand the travel of the collar 28 to be xed pivot connections to thehub |07 reduced* In order to restrain the levers against outwardl Onesfofzthe most important features of the movement by centrifugal; action and to operate 20 clutch is its relatively low cost of construction. the .levers,a .collar ,2&encrcles thehun4 l0, in Fonexample,,thelei/ers. le maybe made asisimelusive of..thelevers,l9,and theinner.periphmy., ple,.appropriatelylhentstampings;. the clampingri of the collar is shaped asan.annula'r,A flat surface` plates. A,I 5l and i6 4are. duplicates, vexcept forthe, 29..,Which ,providesaabearingpnithe hub.; The annular recess in ,theplate .I 5 'Which receivesthe collan?ii 1iscutoutWardlyK from ,the surfacelltdrg split'ring I4, While the adjusting ring 26 and the createk a plurality ofrrecessesll', eachlowhich collar28,may be manufactured byauto'maticma# registers with a keyway,l2and receivesa ..part,of, chinery.f A further advantageresides in @the fa'ct the associatedlever depending upon ,theposition that theV4 same keyways are employed `Ato provide; of the collar, thus preventing rotationof. thegcolf. i a driving, engagement with the clamping' plates f' lar, 28 'relaltivje' Ato the hubfld Endwise shifting 3Q; i5 and i8 and as recesses for the clutchlevers IS" of the colla-1; ,.alongvthefhbis ,achieved `by means, Moreover, as soon as the collar 28`has cleared. the of ringsegrnents'il IIWhi'ch are bolted together offsets 2l when moved in a releasing directio'ng'the and each. ofpwhi'chearriesaJ trunnion l32 .'vvhicl:1isv pressure on the clamping andv driving plates is rel engaged inthe usualmannenby a Yshifting ,fork j lieved by reas-on of centrifugal .for'cerocking each l (notv shown). 351 l-lever' to the position shown in'jFig". 3.?

As .illustratedin ,Fig,1,"the clutoh is A'in' driving. A suggested `method of.' lockinglth'e' adjusting.; position. The adjustingring fiangeml 'which'` ring V28 in adjusted position 'isishovvn :ini 'Figsf'l overlies the hook `endsizfgand ..th'e,co11ar zsywhich j, ande. An annular: ero'ove34`havr1e sloping side engagesthe .lever offsets 2l^ restrain the, levers. Walls 35 is'formed'inthe perlphelyefth'rings against 'outward jmovement :due to centlmfu'gal (ZSand a segmental"slotisicut'throughtheupev force, while;the collar additionallyhrnaintains the A Der pOltIl 0f" the rifes Viewed in" 'Fg"1,`be'` levers in the clamping positions shown; i. e., th'ej tween theoppositefaces. The slot 36 intersects'l bights bearingagainstthe'clampingplate ISand portions of the base of the 'groove Sliv and .the the hook'endsi25 fu'lcrumin'graganstthe adjusts, threaded boreofthe'ringv i'andis closer 'to' one.: ing ringZBWhichvacts-as an abutmentforithead-l Referee-thereof than lto the other," thus creating [a jacent'endsof thelevers: TheY co11ar;:28*'s,sub-t 'parti-annular-n''l'r Adjacent the ends'ofxthie stantially'locked against'inadvertent releaseshifti.' S1011 alera'dal' pOCkeSS 33--133v`v which 'extend irring towards the-left by-jreaspn ofthe' inumana-1 Wardly from'the base of the groove and'preferably'."

contact-,between the osets'zl and'thgre'gessesj", tween-the pockelS'SS a rad-i311, threaded hOlE 39 tne-presseure betweenthelatterparts bein'seXertJ-z 4forreceivinea cap screw 40 that Wed'gnelyc'la'mps4 ed radially pf the clutch; somartheppefraegmafl a {rusto-conicalfwasher'v ilJ int-the groovev `3l"to*"f the -clutch-when@in'-drivingiposition,v terrdsetq thereby 'distortethe' annular- '3 7 esu-oiefntlyv 'tof maintain theclutchinhthisepositionas l bind he'thleaded DOItOniOf" the nMonMthe" pressing-on thefelamping:plate-lesqetl'ratemplettes-V 60 In Fgsr and 6 is illustrated 'a modified' form ter, is :Meeste: Separate-rromdrivin'g fcontaotwitn of Lthecluteh whoseeprincipa'l--di`erence 'resides-ehv the driving platesl'lii: in the meanrslforA holding the'adjusting ring fini Invengaeingithe. olutchgtheaeollar .zasismoveds-f adjustedfposition-.fv Referring Jto"fthese-figtires, towardstherght tromfohe'positionsnowninfpigfge theznumeral-42fdesignates a hubwhi'chfis keyed 3, Lthusengagingi .the-inclined :portion 332er' each rto a 'shaftK 43'1 and-the periphery of vfthe' "hub P`'is lever that connects the offset 2l with theistr-aightm "provided with a plurality of keywaysilldi-that-are portionlz The levers :are:aeeerdinglyiroekedim preferably equispaced aroundt'heehdb and atsthe-rwardly of.theclut'ch'withftheirfendsfulcrumingmleft end, aS Viewed in Fig 5, With Aall annu'laif`' onrtheradjustmgring 26=andhef bightgi24dbearingshoulder 45 that serves as an abutment "'foi'a gripping-position. The'fnlgerskZTprov-ide ja linie teeth'l thatfitt'into'thekeywaysffl'so thatthet. itingstop-tothemovementoflthej col1ar,28to1en, plate rotates with the hubAZand .may [move gaging position.'l Asthedrivin'g,plate` .l1"vvears,. ,Y axally'h'ereef!! the required?adjustmentcarnbe'easilitleie"cted byf. The plate 46 -frCtiOnallengageszwithaone side toothed for driven engagement with an internal-r ly toothed, driving ring 49 that may be bolted to a source of power (not shown). The opposite surface of the plate 48 is engaged by a second clamping plate 50 that is slidable on the hub 42 and has toothed connection with the keyways 44. f

Except for ther adjusting ring, the operating mechanism of this clutch is generally similar to that shown in Fig. 1 and includes a plurality7 of clutch levers 5i, each of which is mounted in a keyway 44. Each lever is preferably made from powdered metal and is shaped at one end -with a hook 52, at theopposite end with a nose 53 that inclines outwardly with respect to the axis of the clutch, and adjacent the nose with a radially outward hump or offset 54, all for purposes presently explained. Between its ends, the lever 5I is generally straight, and, in the engaged position shown in Fig. 5, rests on the floor of the associated keyway 44. Each lever has a free, sliding t in its keyway and, aside from the hook 52, nose 53 and hump 54, is generally housed in the keyway.

In the position shown in Fig. 5, the bights 55 bear against the clamping plate 50 while the ends 56 seat in and fulcrum against an annular pocket 5l provided in an adjusting ring 53 that is threaded on the hub 42. Actuation of the levers 5I is eiected by a collar 59 that is slidable along the hub by means of trunnion equipped and bolted together segments 68, all as illustrated for the Fig. 1 clutch. The collar 59 is provided with a plurality of internal recesses 6I,

each of which registers with a keyway 44 for receiving a hump 54 to prevent relative rotation of the collar and the end of each recess remote from the adjusting ring 58 is beveled outwardly to engage the associated nose 53 and thus limit the engaging movement of the collar 59.

The operation of the clutch shown in Fig. 5 is generally similar to that shown in Fig. 1 and is characterized by the same advantages and relation of parts. The levers 5l are conditioned for a free rocking action with respect to the hub 42 and adjusting ring 58 and, in the released position of the clutch, will occupy positions similar to the levers as shown in Fig. 3.

One of the important features of this form of the clutch resides in the manner of maintaining the adjustment of the adjusting ring 58, as illustrated in Figs. 5, 7 and 8. The end face of the ring 58 that is nearest to the collar 59 is cut towards the other end face, as by a circular saw, to form an arcuate, chordal slot 62 which intersects the latter end face and is symmetrical with respect to a selected diameter of the ring 5B. The slot is closer to the threaded bore 63 than to the outer periphery of the ring 58 to thus create a relatively thin wall 64 of limited extent circumferentially of and immediately adjacent the threaded bore. The wall 64 is engaged by the inner end of a radial set screw 65 threaded in the ring 58 and when this screw is moved inwardly of the ring, the wall 64 is deflected or distorted sufficiently to clamp the adjacent portion of the hub threads and so lock the ring in position. When the screw 65 is withdrawn, the elastic characteristics of the metal comprising the ring returns the wall 64 to normal or non-gripping position so that the ring 58 may be moved to a new position. This method of lock- While possessing specific advantages for holding an adjusting ring in position, the locking arrangement above described is applicable generally to the position maintenance of any element, such as a ring, collar, nut or similar element that is mounted in encircling relation to another part and is so claimed.

The clutch shown in Fig. 9 is videntical with that shown' in Fig. 5 with the exception that a belt sheave '5G is substituted for'the driving plate 48, like parts being designated by like numerals..

The sheave is journaled on a bearing 61 that encircles the left end of the hub 42 and is held against relative rotation by means of a pin 68 that slidably fits within one of the keyways 44. The opposite sides of the sheave are engaged by friction rings 69 and 10 carried by clamping plates 'H and l2, all respectively, the plates having toothed and sliding engagement with the hub. The operation of this clutch is the Fig. 5 clutch. v

I claim:

1. In a clutch, the combination of a' friction plate, a clamping plate arranged to engage the friction plate, a hub to which the clamping plate is connected for rotation therewith and for axial movement relative thereto and having depressions disposed around the periphery thereof, an adjusting ring mounted on the hub, clutch levers in the depressions each comprising a strip shaped as a hook at one end between the ring and the 1.

clamping plate, and means movablel on the hub away from the ring for actuating the opposite adjusting ring mounted on the hub; clutch leversv in the depressions each comprising a strip shaped as a hook at one end between the ring and the clamping plate and having at the opposite end a portion offset outwardly of the hub, and means movable on the hub away from the ring for actuating the lever osets to press the plates into engagement, the ends of the hooks fulcruming against the ring and the bights of the hooks pressing against the clamping plate.

3. In a clutch, the combination of a friction plate, a clamping plate arranged to engage the friction plate, a hub to which the clamping plate is connected for rotation therewith and for axial movement rrelative thereto and having depressions disposed around the periphery thereof, an adjusting ring mounted on the hub, clutch levers in the depressions each comprising a-member shaped as a hook at one end between the ring and the clamping plate, and means movable on the hub away from the ring for rocking the opposite ends of the members' toward the hub to press the plates into engagement, the ends of the hooks fulcruming against the ring and the bights of the hooks pressing against the clamping plate.

4. In a clutch, the combination of a friction plate, a clamping plate arranged to engage the friction plate, a hub to which the clamping plate is connected for rotation therewith and for axial movement relative thereto and having depressions disposed around the periphery thereof, an

the same as 

